Page 105 of Love, Lies, and Whiskey

“I’m competing in the Carlisle Ranch Rodeo in two weeks,” Lucas said with elation. “It’s a small competition, not a qualifier or anything. But if I win the bull-riding event, I get five hundred dollars and a belt buckle.”

“Five hundred bucks?” Birdie asked. “Heck, maybe I should start bull riding!”

“No,” Doc, Dare, Cowboy, and Tiny all said at once.

Birdie narrowed her eyes and said, “That only makes me want to do it more. You know, Lucas, I do hold the record for the longest ride on the mechanical bull at the Roadhouse.”

Lucas laughed. “You’re right, Doc. She’s totally a Birdie, not a Blaire.”

They all laughed.

“Juliette,” Dare said. “Can you send us the info for his competition?”

“I don’t have anyone’s number. I’ll give it to Seeley, and he can text it to everyone,” Juliette said.

“I’ll give you their numbers,” Doc said. “You should have them anyway.”

“Okay,” she said softly, but he could see how pleased she was by the suggestion.

“Good idea,” Dare said. “You never know when she’ll need us to come kick your ass.”

The guys laughed. Doc shook his head.

“Are you guys really going to come watch me ride?” Lucas asked.

“Heck yeah!” Birdie exclaimed.

There was more excitement and conversation, and when it finally calmed, Cowboy reached for Sully’s hand and said, “Sully and I have an invitation to extend as well.”

All eyes turned to him.

“Sully and I would like to cordially invite you to our wedding.”

Birdie squealed. “You picked a date?”

“We’re going to do it on the same day we got engaged. On our birthday, April seventeenth, at midnight,” Sully said.

“Midnight?” his mother asked.

“We know that might be too late for some of you,” Sully said. “That’s why we thought we’d have a celebration dinner beforehand.”

“It’ll only be family, and Treat Braden is officiating,” Cowboy explained. Hal Braden’s son Treat was a real estate mogul who lived in Weston. He’d also married Dare and Billie. “Jax is making Sully’s wedding gown, and he and Jordan are flying in for the ceremony.” Sully’s brother-in-law was a world-renowned wedding gown designer.

“Ansel and his mom, Gaia, are flying in, too,” Sully said. “I can’t get married without my childhood best friend and the woman who took care of us on that awful compound.”

“Well, I did say family, darlin’,” Cowboy said.

“Oh, Callahan, of course you did.” Sully leaned in and kissed him. Then she turned back to the everyone else, and said, “But if any of you would rather skip it, we understand.”

“You must be kidding if you think we’d miss your wedding. Midnight it is!” his mother announced, and a round of cheers rang out.

“Am I the only one who wants to know why you’re doing it at midnight?” Sasha asked.

Cowboy and Sully exchanged a loving glance, and he said, “Because we fell in love during our late-night walks, and we want to exchange our vows in the moonlight.”

“That’s so romantic,” Juliette said a little dreamily.

Birdie exclaimed, “We have to plan a bachelorette party!”